Anxiety or something else?

[Jo61876]

Whenever I get in the car to drive (especially on highways) or go to a grocery store or mall, my vision gets very weird, my hands and feet get sweaty, I feel like I am all wobbly and walking funny and I am just waiting to pass out. If I leave the store or drive back home, I feel better. Sometimes I get this way at home, but for the most part I am ok. It doesn't happen every time, but 90% of the time. It is starting to make me depressed. I am currently taking 75mgs of Effexor XR. Even if I am at home and have a couple family members over, it sometimes becomes too much for me or  my brain to handle. I get disoriented. Is this anxiety, or could it be something else? Ive had a full blood workup and physical with the results being fine.

[aggypantha]

Yep i feel this way right now dizziness nausated, cant cope with going out the house, or at times even people on the phone feel weak ..shaky... word salad etc.

[Chrissy1972]

Hi There

How long have you been on the Effexor and are you being treated with it for anxiety?  Your symptoms are very much anxiety symptoms. I get the sweaty hands & feet often. Jelly legs is another one i get. And as for the visual distortions, I get them sometimes when I go into a mall or a store like Target where the lights are very bright. We anxious folk seem to be more sensitive to this but it makes sense as when we are anxious our senses are on high alert. I notice you seem to be fine when you are home so this is a sign that your home is your safe place. Please make sure you dont retreat back to your home when you feel this way. This can cause you to be agoraphobic.  I had an aunt who lost 10yrs of her life being homebound due to panic. Fortunately she found a good Psych & meds to get her back living outside her home. Did your GP prescribe your Effexor or are you seeing a therapist? Some talk therapy along with congitive/behavior therapy can do wonders for you. You're not alone..so many people suffer some form of anxiety. Next time you feel overwhelmed try deep breathing, slow down, dont rush through the feelings as it will only make them more intense. I use counting backwards slowly from 10 to 1 and that really helped when I was on the verge of panic. You need to reassure yourself that it will be ok. and you will be :)
Hope some of this helped. And welcome to the forum.
Post back and let me know how you are.
Be well ,

~Chrissy

[MrGreen]

Check out the word derealization. It can make things seem big time distoted. As if you are on the verge of passing up, were things become a bit distant, but you don't pass out. You just stay in that state of mind. Can be a frightening thing. No magic cure for it. At best you can use distraction methods. To try and fill the mind up. I had it for years. Found it just stopped as the years went on. Not had it in years. Just another symptom of anxiety.